Spartan Stories
Tales from the UNCG University Archives
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
75 years ago: “Pearl Harbor Letter” from Ella
by Beth Ann Koelsch Part of the Women Veterans Historical Project collections, this letter was written by “Ella” to her family on 13 December, 1941, six days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. We don’t know anything about Ella except from what we can infer from the letter itself. She was a nurse with […]
The University Marshals
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Each spring, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) inducts a select group of students into the University Marshals, a campus service organization recognizing the academic excellence and the exemplary service record of 100 rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. Required to have completed thirty semester hours and have least a […]
Emmylou Harris: From UNCG to the Grand Ole Opry
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Emmylou Harris in The Tempest, 1965 In April of 1976, country music star, Emmylou Harris, returned to Greensboro for a concert at the Piedmont Sports Arena. In celebration of this homecoming and her April 2nd birthday, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and local promoter, Bill Kennedy, declared it “Emmylou Harris Day” […]
Another Twist of Fate for Chinqua Penn Plantation
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Chinqua Penn Plantation Chinqua Penn Plantation, the sprawling historic mansion located in Reidsville, North Carolina, finally has a new owner and its fate is once again in question. The home and 23 acres of surrounding grounds were purchased by Mitchell Barnett Properties, LLC, for $650,000, quite a bit less than Sun […]
R.I.P. UNC-G: The Hyphen Takes a Hike
by Erin Lawrimore “It’s the kind of thing we tend not to think about until it’s gone – something so basic and everyday that it becomes part of the wallpaper. At UNC-G, we began 1986 with something our university will probably never have again – a piece of our history from 23 years ago when […]
Shall We Dance: Early Campus Formals
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Senior Dance, 1939 When the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial School (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) opened its doors in 1892, its purpose was to train young women to enter the teaching profession. Social occasions were limited and there were no opportunities for the girls to attend […]
“Opportunity Doesn’t Take 3 Months Off”: Early Summer School on Campus
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Summer Session Brochure Summer classes have existed on The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) campus since 1898, when Miss Viola Boddie began to teach a summer course in Latin because many of her students feared that they might have to repeat the class during their senior year. However, the […]
The Motown Invasion of 1968/69
by Stacey Krim 18 year old Stevie Wonder during his1968 UNCG performance (p. 54) In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, the advancing struggle for civil rights infused nearly every facet of the UNCG and the Greensboro community. The Greensboro environment of this time, while being a volatile scene for race relations, enjoyed […]
School Spirit at UNCG: Banners and Pennants
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Class of 1951 Banners and pennants have been a part of college life since the early twentieth century, but they have a long and remarkable history. The word “banner” originates with the Latin word “bandum,” meaning a cloth used to make flags. Throughout history, banners accompanied official proclamations or edicts. They […]
